Bulky Pillow, Broken Suitcase, and Stuff
Published Jan 15, 2026
So I had a dream a few nights ago …
My friend Lori and I were competing on The Amazing Race.
(Good grief. Any show that combines the words race and you will need to read maps in any country of the world should automatically disqualify me. Yet … there I was.)
Anyway.
Lori and I had just finished our first leg and were running into a building where we’d need to complete a difficult task. I was almost to the competition area when I turned around and noticed Lori was still coming through the door.
(Please imagine me sharing this next part with a very loud voice and dramatic hand gestures.)
She was carrying a thick, body-sized pillow. A very large shopping bag. Wearing the biggest backpack known to mankind. And pulling a carry-on suitcase that kept tipping over.
I turned away because I needed to quietly mouth, “Nooooo,” and make a face that is not flattering without hurting her feelings. When I turned back to help her … she had disappeared.
I asked the woman patrolling the door where Lori had gone. She shrugged and said, “I’m not sure. She was muttering something about figuring out a better way to carry all her stuff next time.”
I woke up sweaty (apparently I’d been running) and mildly irritated—because … pillow, shopping bag, backpack, suitcase.
But then I thought … Oh.
This one’s for me.
As I step into a new year, I’ve been thinking about what I want it to look like. What I want to do differently. New projects. Better habits. Fresh dreams.
But here’s the part we don’t always talk about:
It’s harder to think about what needs to be left behind.
So I’ve been asking myself this question—and I’m inviting you to sit with it too:
What do you need to let go of this year?
The first of several things that popped into my head was the time I lose to mindless scrolling. You know that kind of scrolling. The kind that somehow eats 20 minutes and leaves you more tired than before. I know that time would feel better spent reading, walking, writing … or honestly, taking a nap. So yes. That’s something I’m setting down.
What about you? What comes to mind?
Maybe it’s a habit you’ve been holding onto like a comfort pillow. Maybe it’s people-pleasing decisions that leave you lugging around irritation and resentment. Or regrets and old hurts that roll behind you everywhere like a broken suitcase you keep meaning to replace.
Here’s what I’m learning:
When we let go of what drains us—what steals our peace, our energy, our joy—we make room. Room for what actually matters. For relationships, rhythms, and practices that bring life instead of wear us out.
Here’s the really good news:
God promises to teach us, guide us, and lead us into the abundant life He’s already prepared. We’re not left to figure this out on our own. He helps us loosen our grip on what no longer serves us and move forward.
And because I’ve found this line of thinking to be surprisingly helpful, there’s another big-deal question I’ve been sitting with lately:
Am I living an impromptu life—reacting to whatever shows up and hoping it all works out?
Or am I living an intentional one—choosing, on purpose, what I carry with me into my days?
How we answer that question shapes our lives.
Participating in The Amazing Race still isn’t on my bucket list.
But I am all in on dropping the oversized pillow, setting down the shopping bag, slipping out of the overstuffed backpack, and leaving that broken roller bag at the door.
I’m choosing to travel lighter this year.
No pillow. No broken suitcase.
Just the good stuff.
Want to come with me?
